Water-wheel.



1). s. HIBBARD.

WATER WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1010.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

4 BHBETSSHEET 1.

D. S. HIBBARD.

WATER WHEEL.

APPLIOATION TILED JUNE 25, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a H Lfs'L M 1104; Q, MW;

D? s. HIBBARD.

WATER WHEEL.

APPLIOAT ION FILED JUNE 26, 1910.

989,149, Patented Apr. ,11, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Rhine/sow A i Z $2111 WWWM 1 Nome/13 u s. HIBBARD. WATER WHEEL.

APPLIUATIOAI FILED 111N225, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

4 SHEETS-*SHEET 4.

W ng? 50 resents a plan view of the saineg l ig.

resents a cross-section looking downward,

DAVID S. HIBBARD, OF GORHAM, ELAINE.

WATER-WHEEL.

stoo -19.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1.1, 1911.

Application filed Jane 25, 1910. Serial No. 568,853.

of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVater-lVlu-els: and I do hereby declare'the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of tho invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to matte and use the same.

" This invention relates to \vatcr-wln'cls es pecially adapted to be used in amt with tidal turrents, but also available in streams above tide water; such wheels being of the kind that use a series of feathering paddles turn inn an upright power shatt.

The chief objects of the invention are to ltecp the wheel in its most. advantageous po sition, that ot partial immersion at the suritace ot' the water, by automatically compensating for its rise and fall and also for the reversal of the current. as by turn of the tide: also to maintain such relations be tween the power shaft and the driving pull'ey or equivalent means thereon as will in- :sure the transmission of power most con veniently and at the best advantage notwithstanding such rising and falling of the V wheel and shaft; to improve the constrm:-

tion and operation of thewheel and neigh- "lioring parts; to insure the perfect hori- .zontal position of the supporting platform as it rises'and falls; to, relieve the adjust- 3 ii'ig mechanism of the strain at the weight. 1

and motion of said platform; to increase the accuracy. convenience amt compactness .g jt' the Hunt aml the parts operated thereby tor automatic adjustment to change a risfine movement of the platform to a falling one or vice Vcrsa; and generally to improve details of the mechanism.

"jp'lo these ends the said invention consists in the constrln-tion and mmbination of parts licrcinaitter more n\rticularl v set forth and described and claimed.

In the accompanyiug-drawings: Figure 1 represents a perspective view ot the mech- :inism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 rep- 3 rep taken just above the paddle shatts: and Figs. -l to '4' represent detail views.

.\ partly nnmersed rectangular fixed rontal plane as they move up and frame 1 has in the inner l'aces ol its vertical corner posts tour angular vertical guide grooves 2. in which the corners ot a rectangular platform 3 move up and down. said platform being suspended by tour chains 4 passing over sprocket wheels 5 on the upper part of said frame and provided with tel minal countcrbalance weights (3 which re here from strain the adjusting mechanism hereinafter described. The said chains pass under sprocket-whecls 7 on and turning with two transverse suspending shafts 8, R journaled in said plattorn'l and rotated as hereinafter explained. one of these sprocket wheels being in the hight of each chain l. The other end of each chain is hunt; by a link 5) to the upper part of frame 1. An endless chain it) engaging another pair of sprocket wheels it on and turning with said shafts 8' and S allows the former when turned to drive the latte at the same rate of speed and in the same direction; it also restricts their turning to the same speed as the said shalts are turned by the action of the suspcmling chains -t and their weights (3, consequently the four corners of the rectangular platform are kept. in the. same horidown in the vertical guidcwzrvs ol' the "frame and the wheel, power shatt amt other nua-hanism rising and falling with said platt'orm remain in their normal positions. horizontal or vertical as the case may be. (lross bar 12 of this plattiorm and '13 ot t'rame l have bearinns tor the power shat't t l. which rises and falls with said platform. though extending: through it. but slides lrcely through the bearing in the fixed upper bar 13. also through a drive wheel or pulley it). held to the top of the latter by a strap or frame 17. but adapted. by spline and groove or otherwise. to turn with said shat't. Wlnitcver the vertical position of the power shalt. wheel and plat torm. the said pulley is therefore always at the same elevation. chosen for n'reatcst convenicm'c and ctliciency in drivme", through belt '19 or otherwise. any suitahlemechanism on shore.

The float 15. which governs the adjusting! devices. to change the action ot the li'ltin; mechanism according to the rise and tall of the tide. is located wholly within the frame I and directly under the said power shaft and the middle ot the water wheel. being quite out of the way of the paddles as they revolve. Said float carries a rod 19 extending telescmaically upward into the tubular lower part 20 of shaft 14 and is provided with a bar 21, the arms ot which protrude through two opposite vertical slots of said power shaft and 'arry a sleeve 33, sliding vertically on the latter. said sleeve being provided with two crown gear wheels B t and lacing each other, with an interval between them greater than the diameter of the adjusting gear-wheel 26 with which they alternately engage. it is possil'ilc. however, for the wheels to be quite out of engagement, the rising or falling of the sleeve not then being" sutlicient to bring; either wheel 24 or wheel 25 into mesh with wheel 26.

At the lower end of power sha'tt 14 is a concentric crown ,e-ear wheel 27, not turning with said shatt, being .tixed to its support, and engaging bevel-wheels 98 on the. inner ends of a series of radial horizontal shatts 2f) journaled in bearings 30 on correspoi'nlinc rigid arms ll constituting a supporting spider .fltllllt}, the huh of which is fixed on said power shaft; and the outer ends of said arms are provided with additional bearings tor vertical paddle-shatts each of which provided at its lower end with a vane or paddle 34: and at its upper end with a crownovheel 35, meshing with the proximate bevel wheel 28011 the outer end of the corresponding shaft; 29. The gearin is cal culated to give each paddle 34 halt: revolution of absolute motion while the shaft l4. and the series of paddleovheels as a whole make one complete revolution in the same direction. .This I call a half speed planetary motion and its object is to feather the paddles so that they will get the maximum advantage from the current and incur the least impediment as each paddle reaches a pointwhere the effective beneficial action ceases and should return as easily as possi ble to its first position. The paddles are so arranged that by the. application of this motion the followingpositions are successively given them: The first quarter of its revolution with the main shaft across the current and its independent sii'nultancous turning through one-eighth of a revolution will present it: at an angle of 45 degrees to the current, receiving the pressure thereof on its back; the next. equal period of rotary n'iovement will bring it half around the circle described by the series and edge on to the tide (.itl'ering no resi.--1tancc; the next equal movement will bring it across the tide and give it a position of 45 degrees,-so that the action of the current on it will again aid the rotary movement of the shaft, and the next equal movement will return this paddle to its first. position across the current. The power of the tide is thus appliedto the descend s the very best advantage through the series of feathering paddles. \Vhen the tide is at a standstill and the paddles are in their proper position of partial imn'iersion, the adjusting wheel 26 is in the space between the crown wheels 24 and 25 and not engaged by either of them.

too carrying up the lower crown-wheel 25,, which engages said wheel 26, turning the shaft- 37 of the latter so that it will normally automatically rotate the platform-supporting shaft. 8, through suitable connections, so as to act, on the suspending chains 4 to raise the same by the aid of the counterbalance weights. When the tide falls and the float upper crown wheel 24 is When the tide rises, the float 15 brou 'ht similarl into en 'a einentinsteach t and the shafts 37 am, 8 are turned in the oppositc direction loweringthe said platform. in each instance the upward or downward movement is just enough to compensate for the tidal change and keepthe paddles automatically in the proper position of partial submergence above stated. eonveniei'it series of connections between shafts 37 and 8 is shown in the drawings, consisting of shaft 38. preferably in alinement with shaft 37 and carrying" a worm 39, which engages a wormovheel 40 on shaft 8, a pair of normally loose bevel wheels 4-1 and 42 facing each other on the proximate ends of shafts 37 and 38, a bevel wheel 43 on a fixed bearing, making connection between them, sliding clutches 44- and 45 featheredon said shafts and engaging clutch faces of said wheels and a sliding bracket 46, engaging both of said clutches and moving them simultaneously in either direction longitudinally ot said shafts.v These clutches being moved into engagement with both of said wheels. the whole series oi wheels and shafts t'rom wheel 26 to shaft. 8 will turn with the automatic compensating action above stated, so long as the tide moves in the right direction, or pcrmai'ienth when the wheel is used in a stream above tide water. But when the tide turns and the paddles and main shaft reverse their motion some automatic reversing means becomes necessary, to prevent the platt orn'i from rising when it should fall and vice versa. For this purpose the clutches and loose wheels are eniployed, the clutch 4 on shaft 38 is given a double clutch face tilting it to engage the correspondingly t'orined proximate face of the bevel wheel 42 on that sha t't or that of a col lar .5 Formed on the proxin'iate end o't shaft 37; a long: pitlnan 47 is made to connect sliding bracket it? to a horizontal bell-crank lever 48 on platform 3 and a rod 4 9 is employed to connect the other arm of said lever to the upper end o't depending "t(\(,t'Hll1,{ paddle 30, which is pivoted in a fixed bracket 5t on the under side ot a horizontal bar of form, float and mechanism.

said platform. When the tide moves one way it will carry with it for a short distance this paddle, which does not feather, causing it to pull on the bell-crank lever; when the tide goes the other way it will carry the paddle back an equal distance causing it to push said,bell-crank lever turning it the other way.. Obviously the clutches will be automatically shifted in reverse directions and held in their new positions of engagement by tidal pressure until the turn of the tide. When the clutches move to their most outward position both of the bevel wheels -1t'l and 42 are engaged by them and the shaft 3'4" turns the shaft 38 in the direction opposite to its own; when the two clutches are shifted into their most inward position one of them engages the collar 45 (the other being disengaged), so that the two shafts turn together in the same direction, as if they were.

one shaft. If the pressure of the tide be light it may mover the clutches only far enough to give them an intermediate position, disengage them altogether and render them inoperative, but this condition will not continue long and the depth of the rotary paddles and operation of the wheel will not be appreciably affected.

A bevel cogged hand wheel feathered on a short shaft 53, which is journalcd in a support 54 and rotated by a. crank 55, engages at will a bevel wheel 56 fast on shaft 38, so that turning this crank during such connection will rotate shafts 38 and S in either direction. to raise or lower the plat- This device affords a convenient means of compensating for slight errors in adjustment and of raising the machinery for cleaning and repairs or as may otherwise be needed. A lever 57 pivoted on a standard 58 for horizontal movement, shifts at will the above mentioned wheel52 into or out of engagement with wheel 56. Inthe latter case it of course has no effect. The support 54 and standard 58 are fixed to the platform, being prefer ably mounted on the same bar which supports the shafts 37 and 38.

The reversing mechanism hcreinbefore dcscribed as compensating for the changed direction of the current is shown in detail, as some species of such mechanism must be shown under the rules to illustrate mechanism operative in both nuivenn-nts of the tide; but I do not claim the constrtwtion and combination thereof in this application, being aware that it constitutes a mechanical moven'icnt of general availability which may form the subject matter of a separate application. lt is obvious that for pre ent purposes divers other forms of reversing mechanism may be used instead.

;\s in the case of the adjusting! mechanism described, the clutches of the reversing mechanism may he moved just far enough by the inm'iersed paddle to disengage both of the bevel wheels -l-'l and 42 and also the collar l5, and the clutches and paddle may be locked at. will in this position by any convenient device, for example a pin 55) passing into the platform through a hole (it! in any part of the devices connecting said paddle to said reversing mechanism. The downward movement of the platform 5) is limitcd by stops 1 on said frame 1. p

The operation has already been described in detail. When the water rises, the plat form ascends and vice versa; and when the current is rcvcrsed a similar reversal of the movement of the mechanism takes place, the water wheel being kept always at the surface and partly innnerscd. \Vhile this wheel and its power shaft thus rise and fall with the water the driving pulley splincd on said ih'aft remains immovable except for rotation aii'tl thus readily communicates motion without: strain to the mechanism ashore. Assuminp; the tide to be first moving toward the side of the platform on which the depend ing paddle St) is lixcd. this paddlc is carried away from the centcr of thc mechanism, and its top above the pivot is carried toward the center, pushing the rods and holding the clutch l5 in engagement with the collar so that the. :uljustina shafts ST and 239 must revolve together as if they were one until the tide turns; and when the tide turns the bottom of the paddle is carried toward the center of the mechanism and the top from the center. pulling the connecting; rods. rclcasing the engagement of the collar and holding both clutches in engagement with their wheels, so as to cause the two adjusting: shafts to revolve in opposite directions.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln combination with a water wheel and 'a power shaft driven thereby, a vertically movable platform on which said shaft is mounted, flexible chains and pulleys whereby said platform is suspended evenly at its corners from said frame. said water-wheel and power shaft rising and falling with said platform.

2. in combination with a water wheel and a vertical powcr shaft drivcn thereby. a wheel for transn'iitting power from said sha ft and held to a single position of clcvation although said sl aft is free to move up and down through it, a vertically moval'llo platform arranged to carry up and down said shaft and water wheel. l'lcxiblc means of suspension for said platform. wheels which said means of suspension pass around and countcrbalancc weights applied to said means of suspension. the said means and weights being arranged to hold the said frame hori zontal and permit its rising and falling with the water.

8. In combination with a frame arranged for partial subn'iergenee and provided with four vertical guideways, a platform having its corners fitting said guideways and movable up and down therein, (hitllllttflbftlHHCO weights, chains and pulleys whereby said platform is suspended evenly at its corners from said frame and a ater-wheel and power, shaft rising and falling with said platform.

4. In combination with a vertically movable platform and a water wheel. and power shaft rising and falling therewith, a pair of transverse parallel rotary shafts mounted in the said platfori'i'i, sprocket wheels on said shafts near the corners of said 'ilat'lorm, ad-- ditional sprocket wheels above them on the frame, chains attached to said frame passing under the former sprocket wheels and over the latter ones, eounterbalai'icc weights on the free ends of said chains and connections between the said shafts cou'ipelling them to turn at the same rate of speed, thus presencing the horizontal position of the platform.

5. In combination witha fixed frame having vertical guideways, a rectangular platform guided evenly at the eornersin said uideways,counterbalance weights and suitable flexible connections for aiding the rais int: and permitting the gradual lowering of said platform, a, pair of rotary horizontal shafts mounted in said platform and each provided near its ends with a pair of wheels engaging such flexible connections, additional wheels on said shafts and an endless connecting chain between them to compel the equal speed of rotation of said shafts and a water wheel and power shaft rising and falling; with said platform, the arrange ment of said weights and connections insurinn the even horizontal position of said plat-- form in any vertical position which it may occu 'rv.

' (3. .ln combination with a water wheel, its power shaft and a horizontal platform sup porting these parts and rising and falling" therewith, a shalt: mounted in said platform, adjusting devices for driving; this latter shaftfrom the power shaft to raise and lower the platform, an additional rotary shaft also mounted in the said platform and geared to the former shaft to turn thcrewith, whe ls on said shafts and suspending chains receiving these latter wheels in their lower bights, the said chains being provided with counterbalance weights to tulte the strain of the weight of the platform. and parts supported therebyoll from said adjust inn devices subslant ially as set forth 7 in combination with a water wheel comprising several paddles and a power. shaft; and supporting platform rising and l protrudes through the slotted portlon of the falling with said wheel, a float arranged under the shaft and central part of the wheel and out of the way of the paddles and having limited vertical motion independent of said platform, a shaft driven by the power shaft, gearing and suspending devices operated thereby for raising and lowering said platform, reversible adjust-in devices between said shafts and shifting means operated. by the rising and falling of said float for changing the vertical motion of said platform.

8. ln combination with a water wheel, a power shaft operated thereby and having a tubular lower part, vertically slotted, and a platform rising and falling with said wheel and shaft, a float arranged under said wheel. and shaft, a rodv carried by said float, extending telescopically up within said shaft and having part which protrudes through the slotted portion thereof, a sleeve carried up and down by this protruding part and provided with a pair of facing wheels, an :uljustinp' shaft mounted on said platform, a wheel mounted on and turning with said shaft and arranged to be engaged by either one of said lacin wheels according to the position of said SlQLVG and turned accordingly either to the right or left thereby, a pair of suspending shafts geared to turn together, flexible sus 'iending devices engaged by these suspending, shafts in order that said platform may rise or fall retaining" its horizontal position and gearing be tween said adjusting shaft and one of the suspending shafts whereby the latter may he turned in one direction or the other accordingto the vertical position of said float.

9. .ln combination with a. water wheel, a power shaft; operated thereby and having a vertically slotted tubular lower portion, a lloat located under said shaft and wheel, a rod carried. by said float, extending up within said power shaft and having a part which protrudes through the slotted portion of the latter, a sleeve on the power shaft carried up and down by said protruding part and provided with a pair of facing gear wheels, an adjustingshaft having a gear wheel arranged to engage either of said facing wheels according to the position of said float, the latter rising and lowering as the water begins to rise or fall, said shifting ,c car being also adapted to be automatically disconnected, leaving the platform and snpported parts without vertical motion while the water is at the same height,

It). in combination with a water wheel, a power shaft. o 'ierated thereby and having a vertically slotted tubular lower portion, :1 Heat located under said shaft. and wheel, a rod carried by said float, extendii'ig up withinv said power shaft. and having a part which latter a Sleeve on the ower shaft carried up and down by said protruding part and provided with a pair of facing gear wheels,

an adjusting shaft having a gear wheel arranged to engage either of said facing wheels according to the position of the sleeve, an additional shaft mounted in said platform, means engaged thereby for raising and lowering said platform according to the direction of rotation of said shaft and gearing between said adjusting shaft and said rulditional shaft for the transmission of such rotary movement.

ii. in combination with a water wheel, its power shaft and supporting platfori'n, means for automatically raisin and lowering said platform and supported parts by the rota tion of the power. shaft, a float arranged under said shaft and Wheel, shifting gears operated by said float to change the direction of action of the devices for raising and lowering as the water begins to rise or fall, said s fting gear being also adapted to be zmlom tically disconnected, leaving the platform .uid supported parts without vertical motion while the water is at the same height.

A win r wheel, mechanism for automatically i sing and lowering the latter and a fixed .ft'zUIlO therefor, in combinathm with adjusting devices for reversing the ac tion of the said raising and lowering mechanism and a float and shifting gear carried thereby arranged to effect such change of action or leave such gear out of engagement according to the height of the water acting on said float, the said float being located under said wheel and wholly within said. frame.

25. A vertically movable water wheel, mechai'iisi'noperated thereby for automatically raising and lowering the same to keep it always at. the rlllfl titjr. and partly immersed, vertically movable shifting gear for reversing the action of such mechanism as the water rises and falls, a suppm'ting frame and counterbalance chains and weights depending from said .fraima, such weights serving to tulle the strain from the opm'ative mechanism, said float being wholly within said frame and under said wheel.

'l. l-. it vertically movable water wheel in combination. with mechanism o 'ierated thereby for automatically raising and lower ing said wheel, a float carrying shifting gear for rcvcrsnng such action and additional reversing mechanism comprising an immersed paddle and arrangeiil to again reverse the action of such mechiuiism as the direction of the current changes.

15. A vertically movable water wheel and a shaft rising and falling therewith, in com binat'ion with mechanism for autematimilly raising and lowering said wheel comprising a suspending shaft, an adj nsting shaft and a gear wheel on the latter, a vertically shifting pair of reversing wheels adapted to mesh with said gear wheel alternately according to position, a float provided with means for carrying said pair of wheels up and down with it and additional reversing devices interposed between said adjusting shaft and suspending shaft and provided with an innnerscl'l part in order that a change of direction of current may act on this part to reverse the action of the suspending shaft by means of said interposed devices and thus cause the lowering of the wheel instead of its raising or vice versa to compensate for the reversal of the direction of rotation of the water wheel.

16. In combination with a water wheel and driving shaft, :1 platform supporting said wheel and shaft and adapted to rise and fall insuring the proper snbmergence of said wheel, radial arms mounted on said shaft, and l airings on the tops and outer ends of said arms, a gear wheel on said shaft, radial rotary shafts which are mounted on said arms and provided with pinions at both ends, the pinions at their inner ends meshing with said gear wheel, vertical rotary paddle-shafts mounted on the outer ends of said arms and provided with gear wheels engaging the outer pinions of said. radial shafts and paddles or vanes on said paddle shafts, the gearing being calculated to give each paddle shaft a half turn during an entire revolution of the whole series of paddles and in. the same direction.

LT. In combination with a water wheel, its power shaft and a platform rising and falling tlua'cwith, inechanisn'i comprising a rotary suspending shaft for raising and lowm'ing said platform, an adjusting shaft, reversible gearing interposed between said power shaft and said aliljusting shaft, for changing the raising action to lowering and vise versa, moans rising the water for shifting said reversible gearing and a worm and worm wheel making rotary connection between said adjusting shaft and suspending shaft and guarding by their construction against accidental disengagement.

lSfln combination with a water wheel and supporting platform, rising and falling together, mechanism, comprising an elevatiug shaft mounted on said platform, for raising and lowering the same, an additional shaft mounted on said plat'forn'i geared to said elevating shaft and provided also with a pinion, a halal-wheel also supported on said plat'fcn-m and movable at will into or out of engagement with said pinion, means for effecting such shifting movement and a crank for turning said hand wheel to rai-.';e or lower said platform and water wheel substantially as set forth.

and falling with I 15). In combination with :L Waiter Wheel Tn tesiimony whereof, I have signed my and mechanism for automaticnily raising name to this specification in the presene of and lowering the same, reversing mechanism i'WO subscribing Witnesses. governed by the reversal of direction bythe I DAVID S. HEBBARD. current and a device for locking such re- Witnesses: versing mechanism out of action substan- GEO. W. ROBERTS, tially as set forth. LEWIS R. JOHNSON. 

